“Without education, we would be on the street. We don’t know where we would be.”

As I sat across the table from two of our college students in Dar es Salaam earlier this year, I had to make sure my sips of coffee were strategically timed! Our uproarious laughter filled the small eating area as the girls regaled me with stories from their fashion and cooking courses. A few moments later, as we shifted from stories of reflection to those of hopes for the future, Aggie and Glory, became silent for a moment then looked at me with a serious gaze, saying “Eliza, without education, we would be on the street. We don’t know where we would be.” Similar scenes unfolded during discussions with each of the 11 students we support in the Child Sponsorship Program (CSP) in Tanzania: Stories from schools were shared with delight. Likewise the excitement was palpable as we spoke of the future.

Now in my own reflections on the last 9 years of sponsorship support, I remain grateful for the journey shared with these amazing and hardworking students, dear program partners and you, our dedicated sponsors. 2018 has been another year of exciting milestones for the CSP, several of which I was lucky enough to experience firsthand during my two visits to Tanzania! Some highlights include:

1) All of our students are now pursuing their secondary school and/or higher education;

2) One of our students earned a spot in an apprenticeship program called Jobortunity, which provides apprenticeship/job training for young adults who are eager to enter the workforce;

3) We celebrated two Form IV graduations (and in 2019 shall celebrate two more!);

4) Our five eldest are enrolled in college students around the country.

2019 shall mark the 10th year of operation for our program, as well as the formal rollout of the Kesho Fund – a fund specifically devoted to supporting the higher educational endeavors of our students once they’ve graduated Form IV (high school). With the same excitement I felt whilst sitting with the students, and the regular flurry of text messages and calls from them since, I look forward to another fantastic and inspiring journey before us.
Twendeni! (“Let us go!”)

So much is happening and the need is so large it is hard to contain it in a few paragraphs.

May 2018 saw 10 of us on the ground again. While there we worked a remote bush community medical clinic, built 3 houses, started a micro loan program with local ladies growing onions, built a sanitized water tower for drinking water, taught computer classes and brought over 100 glucose monitors, a blood analyzer, and other medical supplies, took a woman who had not been able to sleep cuz of scalp infection for years to medical facility, left funds and treatment for a woman with stage 4 AIDS, (she got one of the houses), left money for a disabled child to get glasses and assessment, bought beds and furniture among other things.

We are working on a great video that we will post after finished in November.

This Feburuary, another 10 of us are going. The goal this time is 2 houses, bathroooms in all 8 houses we have built and building a shop so that the women have a place of employment. As always, more always ends up being done as the need is so great when we get there.

The thing that is hard to convey is these are not just physical accomplishments. Kristina told me since she was a child she was afraid to sleep every night. Alcoholic father, abusive husband, men breaking in and raping her. For the first time in her life she said she could sleep tonight with the hope she would be safe. Or Regina who when the house was done sent for her kids who lived far away in another village as they had been living under trees…

This project is about helping these beautiful people have hope and dignity. Basic, basic human needs and I believe rights.

I went to Jhule today in Nepal. Amazing story strating in 1979 when a Nepal girl was given to a passing French expedition. Fast forward past the times when you could only walk t this village, a reuniting of the daughter with family, earthquake relief to today.

Here we are beginning with our partnership with our family friends, Zhmba Sherpa of over 30 years to build a school, and build a Sherpa community center. School is easy to imagine the need here. Sherpa community center….the Sherpa culture is fading. The language is not written so has to be learned orally. The rich dances, foods and other Buddist traditoins are being lost as the young peope immerse into the modern life of Kathmandu and beyond. A mix of dedicated young people and elders have started to build a Sherpa culture center in this specataular space. Here Elders will be valued as they pass onto the young these important and rich cultural traditions. It is multi year project. To date land is bought, stones in place.

Next step is to carve the windows and doors by some of our other Sherpa carpenter friends. Somedayy I hope to sit and sip Sherpa tea here, learn more of that old language and watch the high himalayas.

Due to the political instability in Nicaragua that started in April of 2018 and still continues, we have had to suspend the project. The Co-founder, Alejandro Solano, now resides in Costa Rica with refugee status. He is still passionate about this project and is hopeful that he can continue donating bikes to kids in need in the future.

Quiet lives have been disrupted but the 4Walls Project continues building houses in Nicaragua.

Conflicts between competing interests have created serious political strife in Nicaragua since April 2018. The situation grew severe enough for the U.S. Embassy in Managua to withdraw staff and issue an advisory for U.S. travelers.Our little town of El Sauce has been quiet during this time, avoiding any involvement in the unrest. Thankfully this means the 4Walls Project is still in operation, even without our normal parade of volunteers from the United States. We are in operation because most of the construction is done by people of the town — the project hires local masons and the family receiving the house helps with the work, often enlisting friends and other relatives. Materials, including all the bricks for the house, are sourced locally too.

Our friends in El Sauce continue to inspire us with their irrepressible resilience and hope. They need us now more than ever.

This is Yesica’s recently completed new house. Yesica is a single mother of three small children.

Book Reveal

Thursday, November 1, 2018 at 6 PM – 7:30 PM

Union Place Coffee Roasters

Genesee Valley Regional Market |Rochester 14623

This Photo-Journal written by Bonnie Y. is a Fund-Raising effort to sell the books,( $12. ) enabling building to continue in El Sauce , Nicaragua. Come, have delicious coffee ,provided by Laurie @ Union Place Coffee Roasters & meet some 4 WALLS friends !